joyfulgirl

iirc, the green is the original and the darker one is res.

like poenari, this is breaking my heart. it smells like super-sharp, super-masculine patchouli (i am usually a patchouli LOVER but this smells like hippies and BO to me) and LEMON. not sugary lemon, just straight citrusy lemon juice.

 

of note: it is shark week for me, so i will try this again early next week and see what happens. i am HOPING my nose chemistry is just a little off due to hormones.

yep, the soldier was on my list to recommend as well!

 

http://www.bpal.org/topic/71142-the-soldier/

 

THE SOLDIER

Red musk, vanilla cream, black tea, black pepper, leather, and pie.

 

it is soooo goood.

the frankincense is very strong in this, and i agree with all the other reviews that this is not a foody vanilla in the least. very earthy, woody, resinous vanilla. when i first tested it last night it was super sharp on me and i thought i didn't like it, but something this morning caused me to pull out my imp and try again, and i'm glad i did. it's absolutely lovely on me...after about 15 minutes the sharpness dries out and it's a spicy, sophisticated, close-to-the-skin scent. the frankincense smells similar (to my nose) to the one in cleric, which is one of my favorites and absolutely lovely. this scent is totally appropriate for work or any other setting where you don't want to be over the top sexy but you still want to smell gorgeous.

 

as i mentioned, it does stay close to the skin, so i've put some in my hair and the back of my wrists so i can sniff it at will. i really do like this a bunch, i'll be buying several bottles.

burning book single note (to me) is some of this scent - but that one may be hard to track down.

 

witch dance, from last years halloweenies, may be right up your alley:

 

Bonfire smoke rising through a cloud of ceremonial incense, encircled by swirling autumn leaves and a dribble of blood red musk.

 

you could layer that with something earthy, maybe one of the recent patchouli single notes, to get what you're looking for.

 

you're really asking at a perfect time...the 2013 weenies should hit any day now, and there are generally some scents in the weenies (that sounds dirty?) with bonfire/wood smoke notes. and they are lovely!

back from the desert!

 

i brought snake oil, TKO, elf and east african black patchouli.

 

i wore elf the first few days, then snake oil, then EABP, then snake oil again the last few days.

 

i didn't touch the TKO, but i wasn't sad i brought it.

 

it was an interesting year. it was my first and only sober year out of the four times i've been, so that was...different. it was fun though. i went out and explored the deep playa more than i ever had in the past, so that was great.

 

anyway, thanks to everyone for the recommendations and well-wishes!

xanon, luna negra was my holy grail for a long time...i wore it exclusively at a regional burn a few years ago. you're right...it's absolutely luscious and plays in well to the "tribal" vibe of burn events...i totally agree!

 

and jasmin, YES...raven moon is uhhhh-mazing! i usually wear it in the winter cause it's dark and heavy and fall-feeling to me...but BM is kind of an in-between for summer to fall, so i could see it working!

 

man...now i'm wondering if i should bring 5 or 6 bottles instead. i decided last night to check my bag...so it's all fair game now! especially since i have backups of LN and RM, i would definitely feel comfortable packing some partials of those. cause really, it's all about self-expression...i wouldn't limit myself to 4 outfits, so why limit myself to 4 scents??

 

buxomm!!! witchy witch...love you, chicky! hope you're having a fab summer!

nope, bringing bottles. last year i brought most of my collection and it weathered the experience fine - i kept everything in a box in my shade structure, which was warm but not *hot* during the day.

 

yeah, that was my thinking about TKO as well. i love it for falling asleep at home, and even though i'll be out in the suburbs of the city, a little assistance surely won't *hurt*! i'm thinking you're right about the patchouli...i love it so much. maybe one of my (several) bottles of black patchouli SN. so that would bump either elf or dolly kei out of my bag. probably dolly kei, since it's heavier and sweeter...elf is nice and light and i can see wanting to wear that for sure. HMMMM, decisions, decisions.

 

when did you last go? i discovered it in 2003 and wanted to go for 7 years before i finally made it in 2010. this will be my 4th year - i'm ready to get back!

hey peeps! i'm leaving for burning man tomorrow (if you don't know what burning man is, see here). i put dreads in my hair for this event (see my avatar...this year they're white though!) and i generally dress like a crazy person all week - hippie, steampunk, thrift shop chic...in a good, fun kinda way. so i've got my attire handled.

 

but..what BPAL to wear? last year i wore Eat Me almost exclusively, so i'm honestly a little burnt out on it. i don't know why i wore it so much, i was able to bring almost my whole box of oils (i drove) but this year i'm flying, so i'm limiting myself to 4 bottles.

 

here's what i have:

 

a sudden invitation

ambergris

black lace

boomslang

burning book

cleric

coiled serpent

death adder

humpback whale

dolly kei

east african black patchouli

eat me

elf

green tree viper

leather phoenix

luna negra

mme moriarty

masabakes

mb: closet

mourning lace

nocnitsa

the other hot chocolate

pteropus leucopterus

raven moon

snake oil

snow glass apples

snow glass apples v4

snowglobe

TKO

velvet

 

i think my top 4 candidates for now are snake oil, TKO, elf and dolly kei right now. they kind of cover the whole spectrum of what i *might* want to wear out there, but i'm also debating whether i want to bring something foody like mb: closet, eat me, other hot chocolate, etc. what if i crave something darker, like raven moon? or sexy and sophisticated, like black lace??

 

any suggestions??

 

also: anyone else going to burning man? i'll be at 3:15 and H if anyone wants to stop by!

to me, this is a dead-ringer for the chocolate in velvet, minus the sandalwood and myrrh. this is just a super-smooth, super creamy, sweet, rich chocolate. i'm not wearing it much in august, but i definitely anticipate that once cooler weather rolls around, i'll be reaching for this seriously comforting chocolate scent on a regular basis. super glad i snagged a bottle!

i agree with fuhrankie on humpback whale and a sudden invitation. both are lovely and warmed by various things (ambergris in HW and sandalwood in ASI).

 

i would also recommend green tree viper. it's a snake-oil-y mint, which is absolutely delicious.

 

as far as pure mint scents, i can't speak to any of the lick it scents from experience, but i know they're wildly popular...you might give one a shot!

absolutely amazing! generally speaking, my boyfriend is "tolerant" of my BPAL addiction. he thinks it's a little weird but he's generally happy to let me do my thing and stays out of my way.

 

then i used TKO massage oil on him. the dude cannot stop raving about how amazing it is. i am not a professional masseuse or anything like it, but i gave him a good shoulder and back rub with it - i was pleasantly surprised by how well it spreads out and is absorbed, but still gives plenty of glide...all without leaving a big greasy mess. boyfriend kept mumbling about how good it smelled, right up until he started snoring. he asked me to leave it at his house, supposedly so i can use it again, but i have a sneaking suspicion he's using it on himself.

 

we have a winner.

gah, i had such high hopes for this one! in the bottle it's all herbs and resin. not getting any snake oil.

 

on my skin, it becomes bubble gum. like almost single-note bubble gum. boo.

 

off to swaps, i suppose. sadness.

not sure how i haven't reviewed this one. cleric is in my top 10. it's the very first bpal i ever tried and it's still on my list of most-beloved. and what's more: it's just gotten better with age.

 

in my bottle from 2011 (aged almost 2 years), it's a dark, sweet swirl of incense, rose and woods. i never got overly floral notes from this, which is one reason i always loved it.

 

once it hits my skin, it opens up and the rose amber and frankincense really take center stage. the myrrh is there, but it's not super powdery (i've noticed that the powdery tendency has declined as it's aged). except for the rose (which i love in this blend), the floral notes really don't come forward at all...they're just kind of a nice, fresh, slightly sweet backdrop.

 

as for the rose, it's not the fresh, dewy rose that kind of drives me nuts (although that is very pretty, it's not for me). this is almost a rosewood-y type rose. it's lovely and it feels somehow antiqued and aged even in a brand new bottle.

 

this is one of my go-to scents when i want to feel confident, focused and present. it's got good staying power on me (especially in my hair) and will last a whole day without reapplication - though that doesn't stop me from keeping a little rollerball of it in my desk. it's gorgeous without being super sexy, so it's a great blend for work.

 

anyway, i'll quit gushing now, but i'll say this: even if you're not a huge rose fan, give this one a try. if you love incense, give this one a try. if you love sweet woods, give this one a try. basically, just try it!

unfortunately, i had a really great excuse to try this out today. i got a nice little headcold just in time for warm summer weather.

 

i'd had this sitting in my imps box for a while and had sniffed it, but who needs a menthol blend when they're not sick?

 

anyway, i can DEFINITELY smell this through all my congestion. it's a bright, sharp, menthol scent that pierces through all the *stuff* in my nose and head and makes my brain feel awake and alert. i'd been sniffing it out of the imp, but i decided to put a little bit under my nose. that burned my skin, as expected, but i decided it was worth it.

 

it's definitely helping with my alertness level, which is appreciated as i'm stuck at work. i definitely FEEL like i can breathe easier, but i don't know how much of that is just the cooling sensation of the menthol. either way, i'm appreciative.

 

i agree with spiralmissy that there is a sweet edge to this that is completely absent in vick's and that whole category of medicine. it makes the whole experience much more tolerable.

 

also: i'm wearing velvet today as my "normal" scent, and i have to say, the menthol sets it off quite nicely. i'm surprisingly impressed by the combination.

this may be a TMI thing, but a lot of women have noted that they are particularly sensitive either around their period or while ovulating. if you are in or near either one of those cycles, that may be messing with your nose.

 

also, spiralmissy is correct. if you really can't stand ANY of the scents you got, you should be able to easily swap or sell them on the forums here.

 

i've got my fingers crossed for you!

 

edited to add: i LOVE the smell of plum, but in large quantities it gives me a horrible migraine-y headache, complete with nausea. i can wear it, but only in tiny, tiny amounts. it could absolutely be that there is a note in common with all those scents that's causing a reaction for you. almost all of the blends you mentioned have vanilla and/or musk in them...so...hmmm!!! maybe vanillas and musks are a problem for you!

dayum. so i was kind of iffy on this. i LOVE patchouli and i LOVE leather and i'm pretty good with almond. i'm 50/50 on oaks though and bourbon vanilla has a bad tendency to go plastic on me.

 

but someone at C2E2 MnS had a bottle of this that i got to sniff. and people. it was so delicious. i got online right then and there and ordered a bottle on my iphone. yeah.

 

so, let's see.

 

in the bottle: LEATHER. ALMOND. like zeb said: MARZIPAN COVERED LEATHER WHIP SMACKING YOU IN THE FACE!! ZOMG! what the hell have i gotten myself into?

 

wet on my skin: wow, lots of leather. pretty much all soft, brown leather. this, to me, is very similar to the leather in Rogue. which is a Good Thing.

 

drying down: the leather now has a delicious, dirty undercurrent of really amazing, really black patchouli. VERY BLACK. like the patchouli in #ows. Banshee Beat, it ain't, but there is a hint of sweetness there (which i'm attributing to the vanilla and almond) that calls BB to mind. but that is really the only role of the vanilla and almond here, at least on my skin. i can't pick out either one as an individual note...just a slight sweet edge to an otherwise very dark patchouli. i don't get any oak at all, which is a-ok with me. the leather also appears to have the incredible throw and staying power of Rogue (which I can smell for 3 days after wearing it). again: a Good Thing in my book.

 

an interesting thing: for the first hour i was wearing this, it smelled very different on different parts of my body. on my palms, fingertips and the inside of my wrists, i got leather. on the outside of my wrists and back of my hand, i got almost all patchouli. in my hair, i got a slightly sweet mixture of the two.

 

bottom line: this is delicious. it's like #ows, Banshee Beat and Rogue had a hot, kinky threesome and produced this delicious little love child. the patchouli is absolutely gorgeous, the leather is soft and comforting and the other notes round everything out very nicely. another amazingly beautiful blend...i'm so glad i got a bottle and anticipate more in my future.

Black/dark musks are my very favourite, followed by the red in less quantity.

 

I could roll in Smut and BTBT until I drown, honestly. What are some good, non-floral (definitely no bulb flowers or jasmine) dark musk blends?

 

luna negra is, in my opinion, the best dark musk blend out there. sexiness.

 

Luna Negra: The solace of shadows: blackberry and blackcurrant with Nepalese amber, kewda attar, and a deep, rich, sweet dark musk.

 

it is just *SO* good. i hope they re-release it at some point. i will buy ALL THE BOTTLES.

 

raven moon is also a delicious dark musk, albeit more creepy-dark than sexy-dark. which is sometimes called for.

 

Raven Moon: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance: shining, moonlit ebony musk with benzoin, myrrh, smoky vanilla, patchouli, nutmeg, and dried red chili.

snow, glass, apples (although it's already been mentioned) is a fantastic "cold" scent on a hot day.

 

nocnitsa is nice and chilly,

 

green tree viper is fantastic...the mint is a nice cool counterpoint to the snake oil.

 

i think gonna give a sudden invitation considerable rotation this summer as well.

 

neat thread! i'm inspired to try embalming fluid!

oh god. it is SO GOOD.

this is SO GOOD.

in the bottle: nondescript sandalwood with...something behind it. the oudh? it didn't smell exciting in the bottle.

wet on my skin: MINT! with a backdrop of sandalwood. spicy and woodsy.

dry on my skin: just delicious. spicy and sophisticated with just a hint of sweetness. what an unexpected and beautiful mix of scents. i foresee several bottles of this in my future.

in the bottle: whoa UBERGREEN! it's like someone sliced a tiny branch of a tree open with a pocket knife and let the watery sap drip out. freshly cut grass! dandelion stems! green green green!

wet on my skin: more green! it is being grounded a tiny bit by what i assume are the woods and there is a TINY bit of spice from the clove...but boy, this is mostly just bright, fresh green to me.

dry on my skin: the clove is coming forward a bit now and the greenness of the maple leaf has subsided enough for me to start getting whiffs of a nice, well-rounded spicy, green woodsy scent. unfortunately my skin seems to be having a bit of a reaction to this. it is absolutely lovely, but i'm not sure i will keep it around due to my skin being sensitive to it.

in the bottle: wow, gorgeous. i can pick up on everything except the amber, and the leather is subdued. it smells very masculine to me.

 

wet on skin: juniper and cedar are in the forefront. it's nice and sweet without being cloying.

 

dry on skin: something about this makes me think of catholic incense. o.O not sure where that came from!

 

bottom line: i'm not sure this is something i will wear frequently because it smells so masculine, but i have a feeling my sweetie will really like this one - and that i will like it on him.

very white-smelling to me. a lovely, light, floating scent, with the jasmine leading the charge on my skin. this reminds me of easter, april showers and the first blooms of spring. it's absolutely lovely...even though i'm not a fan of florals, i may hang on to this one, as all these appear to play nicely on my skin. i would definitely wear this one on the occasion that i want a girly, floral scent.

for me, it stays true from bottle to dry down.

snake oil, mme moriarty and raven moon. they all exude a specific power for me...snake oil = sexual power, mme moriarty = emotional power and raven moon = mental power. i love them all for different reasons and different situations.

i second ranger. it's technically pine and juniper, but it registers as pretty cedar-y! it's a delightful unisex scent...i just put some on my boyfriend this morning and he smells DELECTABLE.